Method and system of raising an existing house in a flood or storm surge

ABSTRACT

A method and system for raising an existing structure without use of electrical power, such as a home, during a flood condition in which pilings are positioned adjacent to an existing foundation. Pile guides are attached to the structure and are used to receive and guide the pilings during raising of the structure. A buoyancy layer is formed below the floor of the structure. During a flood condition, the buoyancy layer raises the entire structure upwardly along the pilings to support the structure above the flood waters.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a method and system of retrofitting anexisting structure such that it can be raised in a flood or storm surgeto prevent damage to the structure and contents within the structure.

2. Description of the Related Art

Floods and storm surges can cause havoc on building structures.Solutions have been provided to provide flood and wind resistantconstruction.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,050,207 describes a lifting component, termed aliquilift, which acts to raise the objects being protected above therising water. In one form a generally rectangular support frame, towhich the object being protected is attached, is supported by fourliquilifts, disposed near the corners of the support frame. Controls areused to sense the level of rising water, and to maintain the supportframe in a horizontal position. A power supply is used to activate thecomponents.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,793,466 describes a housing unit mobile between twopositions, one supported on the ground and the other floating. Thehousing unit includes a frame, floating elements and guiding elementsdesigned to be installed in a flood-risk area. The guiding elementsinclude at least two masts fixed in the ground and arranged in themedian plane of the construction along an axis F substantially parallelto the flow direction of the water and collars, designed to slide alongthe masts.

U.S. Pat. No. 8,066,451 discloses building construction of a buoyantraft foundation with steel pipe anchor and bent steel plate guideassemblies attached at corners of foundation. The raft foundation isuniformly supported on grade during dry conditions, and on water duringflood conditions. The corner anchor/guide assemblies resist wind forcesduring dry conditions, and provide lateral stability during floodconditions. The raft foundation has plumbing trenches and access spacethat permit continued use of the building utilities during a flood.

The previously described patents are directed to new construction andwould be impossible or extremely expensive to be used with existingconstruction. It is desirable to provide a method and system forretrofitting an existing home to provide buoyancy to the home during aflood condition.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a method and system for raising anexisting structure, such as a home, during a flood condition. The homecan be raised without power requirements as a passive method. The raisedhome prevents damage to the home and contents within the home due toflooding or storm surge. Pilings are positioned adjacent to an existingfoundation of the structure. Pile guides are attached to the structureand are used to receive and guide the pilings. A buoyancy layer isformed below the floor of the structure. During a flood condition, thebuoyancy layer raises the entire structure above the flood waters. Thepile guides guide the structure upwardly along the pilings as thestructure is raised. The pile guides do not support the load of thestructure. The pile guides provide support of lateral forces from aflooding condition or storm surge.

The buoyancy layer can be integrated to a sub-floor and floor assemblyof the structure. The buoyancy layer can be formed of buoyant insulationfoam to provide necessary flotation of the structure as well a providingthermal insulation to the sub-floor and floor assembly. The system caninclude retractable mesh to act as a debris netting.

The invention will be more fully understood by reference to thefollowing drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective diagram of the system of the presentinvention for raising an existing structure.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of structural frame components that can beused in the system of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a detailed schematic diagram of components that can be used inthe system of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a cut-away schematic diagram of the structural frame in anormal condition.

FIG. 5 is a cut-away schematic diagram of the structural frame in aflood condition.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of the structure in a normal condition.

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of the structure in a flooded condition.

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram of the structure in a buoyant condition.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference will now be made in greater detail to a preferred embodimentof the invention, an example of which is illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numerals will be usedthroughout the drawings and the description to refer to the same or likeparts.

FIG. 1 is perspective schematic diagram of system for raising anexisting structure during a flood condition 10 in accordance with theteachings of the present invention. For example, structure 11 can be ahouse having a wood frame with a crawl space below a floor assembly.Structure 11 is supported on foundation 12.

Pilings 14 are positioned at a plurality of positions adjacentfoundation 12. For example, pilings 14 can be positioned at a pluralityof corners of foundation 12. Pilings 14 can be driven into the groundadjacent to foundation 12. Pilings 14 can be marine pylons formed offiberglass. Piling 14 can be architecturally integrated or concealedwithin structure 11.

Pile guides 16 attach to structure 11. Pile guides 16 receive and guidepilings 14 during movement of structure 11. Buoyancy layer 18 is formedbelow floor 19 of structure 11. For example buoyancy layer 18 can bereceived in a crawl space of the structure.

In one embodiment, structural frame 20 includes pilings 14, pile guides16 and buoyancy layer 18 as shown in FIG. 2. Pile guides 16 arepositioned at corners 22 of frame 20. Piles guides 16 can be coupled orintegral with frame sections 24. Structural frame 20 can be formed ofmetal and set into slots in foundation 12. Buoyancy layer 18 is formedof a material to support structure 11, such as 55 PCF floatationcapacity. Buoyancy layer 18 can provide insulation and be formed of oneor more blocks. Alternatively, a suitable material for buoyancy layer 18is insulation spray foam 19.

Pile guides 16 can include a plurality of rollers 30 attached to pileguide frame 32 with arm members 34 as shown in FIG. 3. Piling 14 isreceived between rollers 30 as shown in FIG. 3. Pile extension 40 can becoupled or integral with piling 14 for extending the length of piling 14to compensate for a change in flood elevation without using electricalpower. For example piling 14 can have a length which is two to four feetabove known flood limits and extension 40 can be used to further extendthe flood limits.

Retractable flood mesh 50 can extend downwardly from structural frame 20during a flood condition. Retractable flood mesh 50 extends betweenstructure 11 and foundation 12 for preventing floating debris from beingreceived under structure 11. Retractable flood mesh 50 can be formed ofheavy plastic.

Utility quick disconnect apparatus 60 can be used for disconnectingutilities, such as water and gas. Utility quick disconnect apparatus 60can include a pressure release coupling for plumbing. Utility quickdisconnect apparatus 60 can also include flexible and extendible utilityconnections, such as coiled connections.

FIG. 4 illustrates structural frame 20 including buoyant layer 18between floor 19 and foundation 12 in a normal condition. FIG. 5illustrates structural frame 20 including buoyancy layer 18 in whichbuoyancy layer 18 floats as flood water rises.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of system 10 in a normal condition. FIG. 7is a schematic diagram of system 10 in a flooded condition beforeraising of structure 11.

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram of system 10 in a buoyant condition. Pileguides 16 move upwardly in the direction of arrow A₁ along pilings 14 asbuoyant layer 18 raises structure 11 without applying electrical power.

It is to be understood that the above-described embodiments areillustrative of only a few of the many possible specific embodiments,which can represent applications of the principles of the invention.Numerous and varied other arrangements can be readily devised inaccordance with these principles by those skilled in the art withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A system for raising a structure comprising: oneor more pilings adapted to be positioned adjacent the structure; one ormore pile guides attached to the structure, each of the one or more pileguides guiding a respective one of the one or more pilings; and abuoyancy layer associated with the structure, wherein said buoyancylayer floats during a flooded condition to raise said structure alongsaid one or more pilings.
 2. The system of claim 1 wherein saidstructure is an existing structure and said one or more pilings arepositioned adjacent said existing structure.
 3. The system of claim 1wherein said one or more pilings are positioned at one or more cornersof a foundation of said structure.
 4. The system of claim 1 wherein saidstructure is a frame with a crawl space below a floor assembly supportedon a foundation, said one or more pilings are positioned at one or morecorners of the foundation.
 5. The system of claim 4 wherein said one ormore pilings are driven into the ground adjacent the one or more cornersof the foundation.
 6. The system of claim 4 wherein said buoyancy layeris received in the crawl space.
 7. The system of claim 6 wherein saidbuoyancy layer is insulation spray foam.
 6. The system of claim 1wherein said one or more pilings are formed of fiberglass.
 7. The systemof claim 1 wherein said buoyancy layer is formed below a floor of saidstructure.
 8. The system of claim 1 wherein said one or more pile guidesare coupled or integral with a frame.
 9. The system of claim 8 whereinsaid frame is set into slots in a foundation of said structure.
 10. Thesystem of claim 1 wherein said one or more pile guides comprise a pileguide frame and one or more rollers attached to the pile guide frame.11. The system of claim 1 further comprising one or more pileextensions, said one or more pile extensions being coupled or integralwith said one or more pilings.
 12. The system of claim 1 furthercomprising a retractable flood mesh extending downwardly from saidstructure.
 13. The system of claim 12 wherein said structure comprises astructural frame and a foundation, said retractable flood mesh beingattached to said structural frame and wherein said retractable floodmesh extends between said structural frame and said foundation forpreventing floating debris from being received under said structure. 14.The system of claim 1 wherein said buoyancy layer comprises one or moreinsulation blocks.
 15. The system of claim 1 further comprising autility quick disconnect apparatus for disconnecting utilities from saidstructure.
 16. A method for raising a structure comprising: insertingone or more pilings into ground adjacent the structure; attaching one ormore pile guides to the structure, each of the one or more pile guidesreceiving a respective one of the one or more pilings; and associating abuoyancy layer associated with the structure, wherein said buoyancylayer floats during a flooded condition to raise said structure alongsaid one or more pilings
 17. The method of claim 16 wherein said one ormore pilings are positioned at one or more corners of a foundation ofsaid structure.
 18. The method of claim 16 wherein said buoyancy layeris an insulation spray foam sprayed onto said structure or in a crawlspace of said structure.
 19. The method of claim 16 wherein said one ormore pile guides comprise a pile guide frame and one or more rollersattached to the pile guide frame.
 20. The method of claim 16 furthercomprising the step of: disconnecting utilities from said structure.